Thread: Radial Arm Saw

Originally posted by soundman
ripping with a radial arm saw is a scary thing.

I was very close to being two halves of a soundman when some ripping on a radilal arm saw got away.

Let me tell you a length of ply can get up quite some speed in 8 feet and fly straight & true for some distance with the aid of a radial arm saw & a length of rollers.

The piece of ply in question flew across in 6 in front of me just above waste height & smashed into a half completed truck body.

Ripping on a radial arm saw???

Not within 50 metres of me.

Hi Soundman

Well I'm glad you are still whole.

However I wonder from your description, were you ripping with the blade rotating in the SAME direction of the cut - if so then this is the wrong way to rip on a RAS.

If you were ripping with the blade rotating against the direction of cut then why didn't the anti-kickback pawls prevent the kickback? Were you using the anti-kickback pawls?

Regards

Peter

Hi Bob

The Ryobi also has a range of routing accessories available which I have considered buying. Does anyone have any experience with these? and are they worth buying? Your feedback on these would be appreciated.

I have not been able to buy such an attachment for my RAS, however I have seen pictures etc on such use and it does seem to be a useful attribute to add to your RAS.

Pesonally I would recommend buying the accessory.

Regards

Peter

Originally posted by DPB
Just to reinforce the comments already made, I found my DeWalt RAS was inaccurate. It was six months old when I purchased it from a guy who didn't like it because it wouldn't hold its settings.

Hi

Perhaps this RAS was faulty from manufacture, in whcih case the original owner should have sought redress from De Walt.

Personally I would think it was a lack of knowledge or a lack of correct initial set up of the RAS.

I think I have set my RAS three times in the last 24 years. The most recent was only a few months ago when I took it apart and lubricated some parts. I then put on a new table and table cover, made up a new fence and clamping method.

So, I guess my RAS is ready for another 8 years or so )

BTW, Yes I agree that the RAS can lose its accuracy much easier than a TS, however it is also easy to reset.

Regards

Peter

Al,
even given Peter's (Mr FixIt) positive experiences with a RAS I think it would pay you to try one before you buy. As I see it, if you already have a TS the RAS will only give you more convenient crosscutting (with normal or dado blades). The money that you will spend on a RAS will buy or build you a fine sliding table attachment and this will give you greater crosscutting capacity than a RAS. If you want to see what it will be like crosscutting with a RAS try the following:

Pick up your 9-1/4" saw, rest the BACK of the baseplate on the stock you are crosscutting, retract the guard and fire it up, slowly ease the spinning blade into the stock (which you have securely fixed down with clamps), try to keep a slow steady feed speed against the saw's tendency to bury itself into the stock.

There, that was easy wasn't it?

Seriously though, for a few years the RAS was my only piece of stationary machinery and although I set it up for accurate use and used it a lot I was never happy with it. There is nothing that it excels at, nothing that can't be done better on another machine. Having said that, if you could only have one machine it IS the most versatile.

Mick
(standing by for a heated reply from Peter )

Hi Mick

(standing by for a heated reply from Peter )

I like it, I like it

Originally posted by journeyman Mick
Al,
even given Peter's (Mr FixIt) positive experiences with a RAS I think it would pay you to try one before you buy.

Yes Mick I agree, though I also think that an initial test could put soemone off such a purchase, especially if they have used a TS

As I see it, if you already have a TS the RAS will only give you more convenient crosscutting (with normal or dado blades).

agreed

The money that you will spend on a RAS will buy or build you a fine sliding table attachment and this will give you greater crosscutting capacity than a RAS.

agreed

If you want to see what it will be like crosscutting with a RAS try the following:

Pick up your 9-1/4" saw, rest the BACK of the baseplate on the stock you are crosscutting, retract the guard and fire it up, slowly ease the spinning blade into the stock (which you have securely fixed down with clamps), try to keep a slow steady feed speed against the saw's tendency to bury itself into the stock.

There, that was easy wasn't it?

Don't even think about trying this!!!!!!!!. Yes, the analogy is similar however the RAS substantially controls the saw and there should be a guard over all of the blade not being used for the cut.

Yes on thicker timber the saw blade does have a tendancy to bury itself into the stock, and yes it is not for the uninitiated to take lightly.

I guess it is something that a user gets used to and I think that I have had the benefit of a better designed saw than some of those pictured on the net. The whole motor assembly on my RAS is quite heavy and this helps prevent the saw balde from burying itself.

Seriously though, for a few years the RAS was my only piece of stationary machinery and although I set it up for accurate use and used it a lot I was never happy with it. There is nothing that it excels at, nothing that can't be done better on another machine. Having said that, if you could only have one machine it IS the most versatile.

I am pleased to note that you are talking from experience

I'll let you into a little secret - although my RAS has served me well over the 20+years and I will not get rid of it - the first time I cut a small mdf panel on the TS, I though wow this is too easy - rip a length (400mm wide), move the fence crosscut to the height needed (600mm).

Not too hot I hope Mick?

Regards

Peter

Thanks guys.
I'm even more confused now, and I was muddle brained before all this.
When in dought, hold back, or was that jump in ask later, or, was it, shoot first if you dont succed when the grass is greener?
I dont know!?

I think I'll just wait and see, I dont realy need a RAS, I have a very good seconhand Leda 12" TS. It was a case of monkey see monkey want.

Cheers, Al

I am glad I asked though.

I have an old Paulcall RAS. Best thing I ever bought. Does everything and very accurate. I picked up an old book called The magic of your RAS. Very informative and helpful if your geometry is a bit rusty.

Wow - joined in 2012 and 4 year later you make your first post.
Congrats!
That might even be some sort of a record?

Originally Posted by BobL

Wow - joined in 2012 and 4 year later you make your first post.
Congrats!
That might even be some sort of a record?

Now now. Some people like to lurk but when they say something its worth listening too. This is a very old thread but I have to agree with John. A well set up RAS in skilled hands is a very productive tool.

I have had a lot of experience with DeWalt RAS's circa early 1970 models over the last 40 years, on many production tasks including sharpening tools, vertical milling slots (ripping / crosscut housings for stair treads), cross cutting wall studs, trenching 50 x 12 mm housings in wall plates with one pass, finishing trim work, compound cuts for roof rafters, cutting webs for roof truss manufacture, ripping sheet stock, ripping very hard 200 x 100 mm Johnstone River Hardwood (Backhousia bancroftii) bearers / beams which is about as demanding as any task on any saw.

There are no other machines on the market as versatile as a RAS. However in untrained / unskilled hands they are SCARY! Also had a customer of my Dad's who became good friends with us loose all fingers & thumb on his hand from not following the instructions given for safe ripping.

Magic of Your Radial Arm Saw: R. J. De Cristoforo: 9780835941839: Amazon.com: Books "Magic of Your Radial Arm Saw" Hardcover– June 1, 1983 by R. J. De Cristoforo (Author)

Warning! - always set up the RAS for alignment in the horizontal mode then shim / wegde the front legs of the saw stand to tilt the whole setup (support stand, RAS and infeed / outfeed benches) rearwards so that the RAS yoke/carriage does not creep forward in use in cross cut mode. Use the radial arm carriage clamp to lock the carriage and NEVER leave the saw running while making adjustments!!!!!!!!